This review comes from one of our library members. Thanks Liam!
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay is a touching and inspiring story set in South Africa. The story is engaging and interesting. Many parts of it are quite depressing while other parts are quite uplifting.
The story follows the main character, Peekay, from the age of five to seventeen. and is written from his perspective. It seems that an older Peekay is looking back on his life and is writing it down. Peekay is very easy character to like. When he falls into hardship you feel sorry for him. He’s unnaturally gifted at many things, this takes away from the realism but you don’t notice at the time.
A recurring theme throughout the novel is racism within the South African community. Nearly every single person that Peekay meets is racially intolerant of varying races of people. Peekay himself is a victim of racism. As a small boy he is victimized for being English. This is interesting because it’s usually the other way round. Peekay himself never discriminates people based on race. Doc, Peekays’s best friend, is the only other person who seems to be unbiased.
There are some very remarkable characters and moments in the story. Many inspirational characters that give important phrases to live by e.g. “First with your head and then with your heart.”
Bryce Courtenay has done a good job at creating inspirational characters and a memorable storyline. This is a great novel to read.
The story follows the main character, Peekay, from the age of five to seventeen. and is written from his perspective. It seems that an older Peekay is looking back on his life and is writing it down. Peekay is very easy character to like. When he falls into hardship you feel sorry for him. He’s unnaturally gifted at many things, this takes away from the realism but you don’t notice at the time.
A recurring theme throughout the novel is racism within the South African community. Nearly every single person that Peekay meets is racially intolerant of varying races of people. Peekay himself is a victim of racism. As a small boy he is victimized for being English. This is interesting because it’s usually the other way round. Peekay himself never discriminates people based on race. Doc, Peekays’s best friend, is the only other person who seems to be unbiased.
There are some very remarkable characters and moments in the story. Many inspirational characters that give important phrases to live by e.g. “First with your head and then with your heart.”
Bryce Courtenay has done a good job at creating inspirational characters and a memorable storyline. This is a great novel to read.
No comments:
Post a Comment